On the mantle above the fireplace was a row of pictures of my owner’s daughter

in chronological order

I could tell he loved her with all his heart

Pictures of her were the first pieces of furniture

Her room, which got the most light and faced the front of the house

Was the most joyful

My owner’s daughter had a cute habit of ‘nesting’ immediately

And as she got older the décor changed

Furniture got rearranged

Staples and thumbtacks pierced me in order to hang posters

Ranging from Casper

To Titanic

The Wizard of Oz

And hundreds of pictures of her and her friends

My owner’s bedroom was fit for a king.

As big as a small apartment

His closet could have been a fourth bedroom

It housed the man he once was

A fraternity brother in the sixties

A salesman in the seventies

A golfer in the eighties

A single father in the nineties

I worried for my owner

I worried for the day his daughter would leave him

Alone in my big body

But that day never came for him

Instead it came for her

And then an emptiness

Only perceivable to a house

Set in

In every room and even outside

My bones were uneasy and sad

My energy warned all the neighbors grief lives here

I heard the owner’s daughter wake in the night

I hear her screaming, broken voice reverberating off my limbs

I want my Dad. Daddy, please come back. Why did you leave me?

I kept her warm

I kept her safe

Until it was time for her to leave

She cleaned me

She thanked me

And tearfully said goodbye

*Dad, there are some things I'd like you to know...

You were always centered and decisive, you lived with integrity and always protected your realm. You created and inspired my creativity. You've blessed the lives of others and you've left a beautiful legacy.

Dad, you are a timeless energy, vastly underrated, deeply important and a profoundly loving man. I will always try to make you proud and love you, with intention, today, tomorrow and forever.*

what's eating erica jacobs

Hi, nice to meet you!

I'm Erica Jacobs, an Eating Psychology Counselor and network marketing professional. I teach people how to build a healthy relationship with food, body image and interpersonal relationships through the use of essential oils, creative writing and yoga. I enjoy all things pink, tree pose and avocados.